It Can Take More Than Half a Year to Fill Some Positions—Locums Can Help

September 19, 2024 | Hayes Locums

After several years of upward momentum in accepted physician employment offers, there has been a decrease, according to the 2023 annual report from the Association for Advancing Physician and Provider Recruitment. On average, APPs accept 82% of offers extended to them, physicians only 71%. This is attributed to providers having more options than ever—from traditional hospital systems and private practices to insurance companies, private equity groups, and urgent care centers.

Of the nine specialties that take the longest to fill, it still takes an average of well over a month to fill an anesthesia position, the quickest of the nine. Emergency medicine takes more than two months, and hospital medicine takes nearly three months.

The two slowest, OB/GYN and cardiology, take 178 and 192 days, respectively. The issue compounds as positions that stay open for too long are often canceled, removing any possibility of being permanently filled. Locums can help fill the gaps. In 2022, about 14% of open APP jobs were ultimately canceled or put on indefinite hold; it was only 8% just three years before. About 13% of physician jobs were canceled, up from the previous year’s 8%.

When hiring managers incorporate locums into their staffing strategy, they can maintain revenue even when they have open positions and reduce the likelihood of the organization indefinitely freezing that position. Locums can also ensure greater continuity of care for patients and minimize burnout of staff who would otherwise be picking up additional shifts.